Can a birder be afraid of birds? Bird phobias are quite common and can be extremely debilitating, but even if a birder is not afraid of birds directly, many other types of phobias can affect birding.

Ornithophobia

Ornithophobia, the overall fear of birds, may be manifested as a fear of all birds in all ways, or it may be a fear of certain types of birds, such as vultures, raptors, pigeons, swans, geese or other species, or even of pet birds.

This type of fear may manifest from prior experiences with aggressive birds, such as having been scared by aggressive geese as a young child or overwhelmed by feeding birds in a zoo or aviary. A phobia's cause could be more obscure and may not relate directly to birds at all, but simply to birds being present at some prior trauma, such as birds at a funeral or present during a traumatic event.

By definition, phobias are not necessarily rational, but they can severely debilitating and may affect many facets of daily life, and a fear of birds can be especially acute since birds are so easily encountered every day. Typical symptoms may be panic, cold sweats, shakes, crying, freezing in place or other physical reactions. Fortunately, many phobias can be overcome with careful treatment, once the phobia is properly identified.

Other Phobias That Can Affect Birders

While someone affected by severe ornithophibia is not likely to become a birder, other types of phobias can dramatically impact birding and limit a birder's enjoyment of all avifauna.

• Fear of Animals (Zoophobia): Birds are animals, and a general fear of all animals, or just wild animals – agrizoophobia – can be just as debilitating as a bird-specific fear.

• Fear of Chickens (Alektorophobia): A birder with alektorophobia is unlikely to add the red junglefowl, the wild ancestor to all chickens, to their life list.
• Fear of Pigeons (Peristerophobia): An irrational fear of rock pigeons is peristerophobia, and may relate to different wild dove species as well as racing or homing pigeons.

• Fear of Feathers (Pteronophobia): While most people with pteronophobia are more afraid of touching feathers or being tickled with them, this fear can lead to a fear of birds.

• Fear of Flying (Aviophobia): Fear of flying is most often related to airplanes or other transportation, but in severe cases it can lead to fear of anything that flies, including birds.

• Fear of Colors (Chromatophobia): Because bright colors are often the best field marks for bird identification, chromatophobia can inhibit birding. Fear of certain colors can also be stressful, such as black (melanophobia), white (leukophobia), red (erythorophobia) and yellow (xanthophobia).

• Fear of Moths (Mottephobia): Moths aren't birds, but birders interested in hummingbird moths and how they relate to birds could have trouble if they have mottephobia.

• Fear of Dawn (Eosophobia): Birders may miss out on the amazing dawn chorus if they are afraid of sunrise or dawn periods.

• Fear of Solitude (Monophobia): While there are many benefits to birding in a group, birding is often a solitary hobby, which will be a problem for birders with a fear of being alone.

• Fear of Forests (Hylophobia): Both deciduous and coniferous forests are ideal birding habitats, and a birder with hylophobia will miss a lot of amazing sightings if they won't go into the woods.

• Fear of Lakes (Limnophobia): Waterfowl and shorebirds are typically found at lakes and marshes, habitats that a birder with limnophobia will strive to avoid.

• Fear of the Ocean (Thalassophobia): A birder will not be able to add pelagic birds to their life list if they suffer from a severe fear of the sea.

• Fear of Mice (Musophobia): Mice are common bird feeder pests, and birders with musophobia may miss the joys of backyard birding if they are scared to attract the occasional mouse.

• Fear of Bats (Chiroptophobia): Many birders don't go looking for bats, but birding in the evening may mean encountering these flying mammals, which can terrify anyone with chiroptophobia.

• Fear of Books (Bibliophobia): A field guide is an essential tool for any birder, but one with bibliophobia may need to rely on other identification guides until they overcome their fear of books.

Overcoming Phobias

Some phobias may seem silly to those who aren't familiar with them, but the fear those phobias generate is very real. Fortunately, dedicated treatment by a professional therapist with experience in phobias can be highly effective. Treatments that include gradual desensitization and relaxation techniques can be particularly useful to help birders overcome their irrational feelings toward birds or other things associated with birding, and with supportive help and a safe atmosphere, even phobia sufferers will be able to overcome their fears and fully enjoy birds and birding.

Photo – Northern Goshawk © Ben Fredericson